Through The Glass
by ohxasphyxiationx
Summary: After a lonely life, Sora saw him as an escape. But at what point do you know if living with someone is more dangerous than living without them? --AU, other warnings inside.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **The characters in this story do not belong to me, I am merely borrowing them. Characters belong to Square Enix and all other rightful owners. I make no profit from the publication of this story. The plot and situations do however belong to me, and redistribution without my consent is strictly prohibited.

**Warnings:** None at the moment, but there will be some in the future, so be prepared. There might be some OOCness and this is AU. That's enough warning for now.

**Author's Note:** An original work of fiction that I thought I'd introduce to the KH fandom. I will be doing as much as I can to keep this true to its original form, but obviously, there must be some changes to make things flow with the characters I've chosen. I think I have enough loyal readers to get the feedback I've hoped for the entire time I've been working on this. If I think this isn't going well, it will be removed. So let's give this a go, shall we?

**~*~*~*~Through The Glass- Prologue~*~*~*~**

I was the youngest of three children, brought up in the more peaceful streets of Twilight Town. My brother Roxas was working on getting his second Masters degree of mathematics. He graduated as class valedictorian in high school. He was the most intelligent child of us three, and was planning on becoming a college calculus professor.

My older sister, Naminѐ, may not have had the best brains in the family but she was far from stupid. She graduated in the top 10 of her class. The greatest trait she inherited from our family was her beauty. She had gorgeous blonde hair like my mother and beautiful blue eyes from our father. She was just the perfect weight, tall and slender, with flawless fair skin and perfect, delicate features. She was pursuing a career as a model or an artist. My family believed that since she had such a good head on her shoulders, she would be able to succeed without getting caught up in anything.

As for me, I was the plainest member of the family. I had boring brown hair like my father that no matter how I tried could never be tamed and always looked unkempt. I had blue eyes that everyone loved, but I felt brought too much attention to me- attention I didn't want. I was only 5 feet and 4 inches tall and naturally, my body was proportioned as such. I was far from chubby, believe me, but I wasn't slender and graceful like my sister. I was slight, skinny, and frail looking. And although I did my best to focus in school, I was not even nearly as smart as my brother. I had no real talent. I managed to just get by all the time.

I knew, from as long as I could remember, that I was the black sheep in the family. My mother, a psychiatrist that failed to realize my needs to find a calling and importance in my life, tried to make me feel special, but she never did a good job of it. She treated me with love and affection but never praised me for anything. I couldn't really blame her. I had not done anything outstanding worth praise in all of my life. My father, a successful contractor, was handsome and rugged, and perhaps the only one in my family who truly made me feel loved. He would always come home from work, grab me in a chokehold and ruffle up my hair. We'd sit on the couch together and watch ESPN until he'd say, "It's time for bed, kiddo," and then push me to go to sleep.

I guess back then I should have realized that things couldn't really get better, and that they could only get worse. I was an outcast in my own family, at least, it always felt that way, and there was nothing I could do to make myself smarter, or more handsome, or more talented. I should have known then that there was nothing I could do to make myself perfect, so that I could fit in more with my 'ideal' family. I should have mustered up all the courage and determination in my little body and decided that none of that mattered. I should have spent more time seeking my passions and finding my dreams.

But I didn't. And I ended up spending the rest of my life paying for it. And it all happened the night that I met _him_.


	2. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **The characters in this story do not belong to me, I am merely borrowing them. Characters belong to Square Enix and all other rightful owners. I make no profit from the publication of this story. The plot and situations do however belong to me, and redistribution without my consent is strictly prohibited.

**Warnings:** None at the moment, but there will be some in the future, so be prepared. There might be some OOCness and this is AU. That's enough warning for now.

**Author's Note:** Decided to start you off with two chapters of this, to get things moving. This one is pretty long because the chapters were originally very short, so I've thought to combine them for a longer chapter. Enjoy! Leave reviews! Otherwise I won't know if anyone likes this.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

It was the morning of my seventeenth birthday, but as I woke I realized that nothing had really changed. I was just a year older. I stepped out of my bed, stretching my arms, as I walked over to the mirror to examine myself. My shirt had risen above my navel and I stared at myself. My stomach was completely flat, and although many of my friends had told me that I was 'just right,' looking at myself, I knew that wasn't true. My brother was handsome, rugged, built. He was perfect. And I was average. I'd learned to deal with that, but that didn't mean I was happy about it.

I examined my face. I had slight bags under my eyes. I'd never been one to sleep too well during the night, or rather, to sleep well at any time, and it showed. My eyes looked slightly glazed over with sleepiness. My lips were dry and a piece of hair hung limply over my face. I brushed the stray strand of hair behind my ear, grabbed my clothes for school that morning, and headed to the bathroom.

I had to pee first, so I did, all the while rubbing my eyes and dreading the day ahead of me. I got up, flushed, and went to the sink to brush my teeth. I had this weird obsession with dental hygiene. I brushed until my mouth felt fresh and clean, my teeth looked white enough, and my gums bled. I rinsed, and spat, and then followed my extreme brushing regimen with some mouthwash. I dried my face off with the hand-towel by the sink and went to turn on the shower.

I stripped off my pajamas and stepped into the shower. The water was scalding hot and I was surrounded by puffs of steam, just the way I liked it. A burning hot shower was just what I needed to start off my day. It was a fresh start. It burned away every germ, every remain of the day that had passed, and made me feel like I was starting anew, even if just for a few hours. I scrubbed my skin until it was raw and almost squeaking with cleanliness, and turned off the water, satisfied. I looked like a steamed lobster every time I came out of the shower, and it always made me laugh at myself. I patted my skin dry and wrung out the water in my hair, running a brush through it just a few times before putting on some lotion. I put on my jeans, black, a plain red t-shirt and some socks before padding back to my room.

I dug under the bed, pulling out a pair of Chuck's, and sat on the edge, untying the laces carefully before slipping each shoe on my foot and proceeding to tie the laces again. I was finally ready to start another boring, routine day.

I ran down the stairs, seeing my mom fuss over the toaster and my dad reading yesterday's paper and sipping from his coffee that he always drank black and straight. The idea of how it tasted made me cringe every time. My mother always shouted at me, "Have a good day!" oblivious to how much I hated going to school, and my father always looked up from the sports section long enough to wave goodbye and nod his head.

I always mumbled "See you later," under my breath before walking out the door.

Most people took the bus to Twilight High, and it was about a half hour walk from my home, but I liked to walk, no matter the weather. It was winter, and unsurprisingly, it was cold. It was always freezing on my birthday, December 18. I hugged my arms around myself and walked all the way to school, the same way I always did. Alone.

I already dreaded the classes, the lectures; this continual cycle that never seemed to end. I would sit, alone, and see my only friend, Riku, during our 11:00 o' clock lunch period. Then, I would go home at the end of the day, sit in my room and do homework until dinner, where me and my parents would sit alone and eat, dad talking about work, mom talking about her patients, and both of them occasionally asking about how my day went, me giving the same answer, and us all seemingly uninterested at what the other had to say.

I dreaded that my life would continue on this way forever until I died. This would be another routine day, just like the rest.

Or so I thought.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

"Hey, Sor!" Riku called from the other side of the cafeteria. Riku and I had been friends since our childhood. We had met each other in Kindergarten, when we were line buddies. From then on we had always been close. Riku was my only friend, the only person I really bothered to talk to. Riku was a social butterfly. He had a ton of friends and always knew the latest school gossip. But after all the change our lives had gone through over the years, me being an extroverted little boy turned loner, him into a shy boy turned popular, he had always made time to hang out with me. He had always defended me. He always ran to me when I called.

When we were thirteen, we shared our first kiss. I was too young and not ready for a relationship then, definitely still uncertain about my sexuality, and I told him so. And since then, I always knew deep down that he had never really stopped liking me. But I just hadn't had any romantic feelings for anyone. Ever.

"Happy birthday!" He came over and hugged me, pulling a small wrapped box from his pocket.

"Thanks," I said, slightly embarrassed, and rolled my eyes.

"Are you going to open it?" He smiled at me. He always had the most beautiful smile.

"What is it?" I asked, curious. I had never asked him for anything, but every year he always picked out the perfect gift for me. When his birthday came, finding him a gift was always a struggle. I've bought him probably the worst gifts anyone's ever received in history, but he always 'loved it.' Or so he said.

I unwrapped the box carefully, throwing the wrapping paper aside and lifting the top. Inside of the box sat a beautiful silver chain with a charm of a silver crown. In the points of the crown were diamonds. They were small studs, but they gleamed so beautifully in the light. Sometimes, I wished he didn't try so hard. It made me feel horrible inside for never feeling anything back.

"Wow, Riku. It's a beautiful gift. Thanks!" I said, leaning over and giving him a kiss on the cheek. I saw him turn bright read and sighed inwardly.

"I have another surprise for you!" Riku practically squealed with excitement. I took it as a warning sign.

I groaned. "Why, Riku? You know I loathe surprises."

"Sora," he sighed. "I'm trying to do something nice for your birthday. Okay?"

I sighed, sitting down at our usual table. He sat across from me. "What surprise?"

"I want you to go home and dress in your best party clothes."

"No. No, no Riku. No way."

He reached across the table for my hand. "Come on, Sora, it's no big deal. Just a little party at my place in your honor. It'll be fun. It's worth a shot! And if you don't have a good time, we can send everyone home and watch a movie, you and I."

I sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time during this conversation. I hated crowds of people. I hated parties. Why throw me a party? Any more of a wallflower than me, you couldn't find. I knew it was a nice gesture, him trying to get me acquainted with some new people. He always worried that I spent too much time on my own. But I was happy alone. He was just trying to do a good deed.

"Fine. As long as you promise that I can call it off if I want to."

He nodded emphatically. "Of course."

It was just a party. A good deed. But as they say, no good deed goes unpunished. And I would be the one to find that out first hand.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Sooo… whatcha think? I know I should be writing the next chapter of 'Home', but it's kicking my ass back and forth and my writers block is so bad. This was written months ago, so writers block was not an issue here. =)**

**I hope you all love this story as much as I do. I mean, I really love this story and I've never been able to finish it. Your reviews will give me the strength to finally finish this story!**


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: **The characters in this story do not belong to me, I am merely borrowing them. Characters belong to Square Enix and all other rightful owners. I make no profit from the publication of this story. The plot and situations do however belong to me, and redistribution without my consent is strictly prohibited.

**Warnings:** None at the moment, but there will be some in the future, so be prepared. There might be some OOCness and this is AU. That's enough warning for now. Things will get darker in the next few chapters, though.

**Author's Note:** Per the request of xXxSmidexXx, who I adore because she is a faithful reviewer to nearly everything I write, here is another chapter of this story! The reception is still lukewarm, but hey, I just posted this yesterday. Only updating this quickly because Smidge wanted me to and because Izzy wants me to get past a certain part of it. Okay, whatever. Onward!

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

I walked into my house, dropped my school bag by the door, and rushed hurriedly up the stairs. The party started at 8, and it was already 6 o' clock. I only had two hours to get ready. I didn't normally care about these things, but hell, if I was going to have a party for my birthday, I was damn sure going to look good and have a good time.

I looked in my closet and found a black suit jacket that I hadn't worn in years. Most people would wear these with slacks, but I figured a pair of skinny jeans would look just fine. I grabbed my clothes and headed to the bathroom, taking a quick hot shower, and getting dressed. I began to blow dry my hair. I knew that it looked like I hadn't put any effort into fixing up my hair, and I hadn't, because I knew that all the hair products in the world couldn't make my hair do anything but stick out wildly every which way. I sighed, spraying on some cologne and dashing back to my room.

I stared intently at my reflection in the mirror, focusing on getting everything just right. I dug into my pocket and pulled out the box containing the necklace that Riku had given me earlier. I took it out and held it in my hand, watching the colors dance on my ceiling as the small diamonds gleamed in the light. They were gorgeous.

I put them on, and gave myself a good once-over just as my mother walked into my room. She didn't knock, of course.

"Honey, you look so handsome!" She exclaimed. Then she became a bit more serious. "I didn't know you had plans for the night."

"It's my birthday," I replied dully.

"Yes, I know. I just would have appreciated knowing you were going to go out tonight. I wouldn't have bothered with dinner."

"I'm sorry, mom. I'm going to spend the night at Riku's house though."

"Doing?" She asked, her brow furrowed. She had known for a while that I was gay, and she hated that my only friend was a boy. I was constantly spending the night at his house, and although I had no romantic interest in him, she didn't know that, and was convinced we were sleeping together. She never openly objected me going there though, knowing that I had no other friends.

"We're going to go to the movies for my birthday. We're watching a late movie, and you know how dangerous it can get at night." My mother nodded in agreement. For good measure, I added, "His parents will be there," although I knew that wasn't true. Riku's parents were never home. They were very busy people who did a lot of business out of town. When they weren't working, they went on vacations together, leaving the house at Riku's disposal. He always threw great parties.

My mother sighed. "All right. Well, please call me before you go to sleep."

"I will." I checked the time on the digital clock on my nightstand. It was 7 o' clock now. "I have to go mom, the movie starts in an hour!"

"Okay, okay, be careful," she said, giving me a kiss before I flew out the door and down the stairs. I put on my jacket, grabbed my keys, and left.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

When I arrived at Riku's' house, I could hardly believe my eyes. There were at least 20 cars parked haphazardly around the block and in his driveway. Inside, people flooded the living room, and the upstairs bedroom. I began to panic. I knew that this whole thing was a terrible idea.

I searched the crowd, but I couldn't find Riku anywhere. I sighed and began to push my way through the sea of bodies until I spotted him, beer in hand, talking to a girl from school. He turned and saw me, grinning ear to ear, and waved me over. The music playing was so loud that when he began to speak, I couldn't hear.

"What?" I yelled loudly into his ear.

"You got here just in time!" He yelled back. "Sor, you know Kairi, don't you?"

She waved her fingers at me and I nodded a quick greeting. I didn't want to be here. I didn't know what to do. Was I supposed to talk to all these people?

When I turned back, Riku had disappeared. Suddenly, the music stopped. There was the hum of numerous voices, but then suddenly, they all got quiet too. I could see Riku, standing on top of his sofa. Everyone in the room looked in his direction.

"Everyone! Our birthday boy has arrived! Happy birthday, Sora!" Some people looked at each other, and I assumed they were thinking, "Sora who?" The rest looked in my direction and began to clap and whistle. I turned as red as a tomato and wished I could disappear on command.

I waited a few minutes for Riku to return, but he didn't. I made my way to the kitchen to get a drink.

I think back and wonder, what would have happened if Riku had come back for me? Or if I never went into the kitchen? Or if I never went to that stupid party to begin with?

In that kitchen, over a cup of soda, my life changed, forever.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**We welcome a new character in the next chapter! Can you guess who it'll be?**

**I never realized how much I'd have to change in this story to make it all make sense, seeing as Sora's character was originally a girl. So, if I miss anything, feel free to point it out. I think I got everything in this chapter, but I will get stupider as this goes on and then everything will just start to get messy.**

**Things get good soon. The beginning of this is slow, I know. But it gets really good, I think! Reviews mean I can finally finish this!**


	4. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **The characters in this story do not belong to me, I am merely borrowing them. Characters belong to Square Enix and all other rightful owners. I make no profit from the publication of this story. The plot and situations do however belong to me, and redistribution without my consent is strictly prohibited.

**Warnings:** None at the moment, but there will be some in the future, so be prepared. There might be some OOCness and this is AU. That's enough warning for now. Things will get darker in the next few chapters, though.

**Author's Note:** I figure if I get this next character in here and get to the heart of the plot maybe I'll get more readers? Hopefully!

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

There was a beautiful man leaning against the kitchen counter, sipping on his beer occasionally. He had messy hair in a shade of red I had never seen before. It fell against his creamy, pale skin and framed his piercing jade eyes. As I walked in, he stared at me, and I almost felt entranced. In all of my seventeen years of life, never, ever, had I felt so captivated by anyone of the male species. Ever.

I averted my eyes away from his glance and coughed uncomfortably. I headed to the fridge and pulled out a can of Pepsi. I opened it and took a huge sip. When I looked back, he was still staring at me.

I wanted to run out of the kitchen and go back home, but that wouldn't be cool of me. So I fumbled around in the fridge looking for something else, pretended there was nothing else interesting in there, and began to turn around when he spoke.

"Happy birthday, Sora."

I felt like my heart had stopped beating, but somehow I managed to turn around and look at him. I examined him thoroughly before I finally realized that I knew this guy from somewhere. I remembered his name.

"Thanks, Axel."

Axel had been one of my brother's best friends during high school. He used to come over our house every night years ago, when he was a teenager. He'd spend the night often, and I remembered that he used to always eat all of the food he could get his hands on. That was about ten years ago, when I was seven. My brother and Axel had stayed in touch during college, and I remember hearing that he was an art major, but after three years in college he had dropped out. My brother said he was going down the wrong path.

But here he was, standing right in front of me, and he looked great. He was ten years older then me, but at 27, he looked youthful and handsome. He was much more attractive than I remembered him being at 17.

He spoke.

"My, you've gotten handsome. I remember when you were a skinny little thing."

I blushed.

"Thanks," I said shyly. "What are you doing at a high school party?"

He sipped his beer leisurely.

"I'm a friend of Riku's sister. Naturally, I'm invited to all of Riku's parties, but I don't usually come. But I found out it was for your birthday, and figured it'd be real nice to see you after so long." The silence was awkward as I blushed profusely. "How's your brother?"

"Still in school, as usual," I laughed. I had a sudden burst of courage and began to broaden the conversation. "I have no clue what my brother does for fun. He probably studies."

Axel chuckled. I smiled. He was so handsome, and I could hardly believe he had laughed at my joke.

"Do you remember the time your brother and I were babysitting you, and we called for pizza? As soon as the delivery guy got to your house, I grabbed a baseball bat and started swinging at him."

"I do remember. We got free pizza that day." I smiled.

"Those were such good times," he sighed, and I could see sadness in his eyes, and his expression looked tired.

I nodded.

"They were."

He smiled at me again.

"It's so good to see you, Sor."

My face began to heat up.

"It's good to see you, too."

Just then, Riku walked in, babbling on about a Twister contest in the living room, and proceeded to drag me by the arm to the rest of the party. I looked back at Axel once more before he was out of my sight. He smiled warmly and waved.

And I knew it right then. I had fallen in love.

**~*~*~*~*~*~*~**

**Yeah, this sucks. I have become aware.**


End file.
